New Endings {OPEN}

[Roka]

[attr="class","plbase"]

[attr="class","pltxt"]Lorem ipsum dolor It had been a few months since Roka had given birth and even now she couldn't believe how large they had become in such a short time. Two of her pups took after their father in size, while the other two seemed to have a normal size. She was proud of her brood either way. When she was first pregnant she had harbored fear over the idea of becoming a mother. Of being responsible for the little beings that had been growing inside of her. Not only was she proud of her children, but also of herself. Despite their constant testing of her patience she had managed to survive mostly on her own. She had resented the fact that Sabaoth had been gone in the beginning, but she found a new strength within herself. Roka had always considered herself a very strong individual, but none of that strength mattered when it came to her pups. They had tested her form day one, and her lack of knowledge had been a slap in the face. Luckily for her she had help from Datura to get her through. Now that winter was fast approaching could feel her mind turning to another litter. She loved Sabaoth in her own rough way and even more she loved her children. Having more of them was a thought that made her a little excited to be honest.



Roka had a mission today however. Her pups were old enough to do some exploring on their own so she set out to find her friend Aurik. She hadn't seen him since right before her pregnancy and that had been months ago. For her the pups had been something that she devoted all of her time to so he had been neglected. She knew that he was close by not on the island of Ina'mos. Perhaps she wasn't ready to make the swim off of the island and away from her pups. If something happened and she didn't make it back then she would feel terrible. Growling in frustration she paced along in the dirt trying to think of a way to see Aurik. She hoped that he would be willing to make the swim to see her. She knew that something had been bothering him before but the time hadn't been right. Now she wondered if whatever he had wanted to tell her was still pertinent. Perhaps she ought to seek out Datura and spend the day amongst her. A day without her pups was something not to be wasted. Datura was her only real friend amongst this new pack so spending time with her was the only thing she had to do. At least until Sabaoth returned from the Agoge.



They days were growing shorter which meant that Sabaoth would be home for at least a few weeks until the next batch of youngsters left the island. Roka knew that he own babes would venture off to claim their own way to adulthood and Roka would be proud to see them go. They would make fine strong warriors that would make their mother and father proud. She saw the look that Sabaoth had given his pups when he had first seen them after birth. His pride and approval of their children had almost overwhelmed Roka. She had been so used to living her life as a pillar of strong unfeeling wolf. Now she had things to love and things that loved her. This by no means made her a soft and loving mother, but she had changed since meeting Sabaoth. She now felt as if she had a place among this pack, among this island's inhabitants. She had found a home. Her feet stepped on in front of the other as they carried her close and closer to the edge of the island. It had been a long time since she had visited the sandy, rocky beaches that she hated so much. The swim had been unbearable and she didn't want to ever have to repeat it again. There wasn't much that would tempt her to leave the island.



For now she was content to live here until she found a reason to leave. A reason that she hoped never came.

[newclass=.pltxt]position: relative; z-index: 200; opacity: 0; transition: all 1.5s ease; -webkit-transition: all 1.5s ease; -moz-transition: all 1.5s ease;[/newclass][newclass=.plbase:hover .pltxt]opacity: .7;[/newclass][newclass=.pltxt::-webkit-scrollbar]width: 8px;[/newclass][newclass=.pltxt::-webkit-scrollbar-thumb]background: #939393;[/newclass]

[Aurik]

It was bizarre wandering this far into Kairos territory. Though the male had the vague permission of the alpha to remain within their lands, the male moved like a ghost throughout the pack's lands, often sticking to the outskirts in an attempt to avoid the mass of the pack. None of them were very kind to the poor, pathetic deaf wolf, so Aurik found it better to hang on the outside than to subject himself to the pity of those who, quite frankly, he didn't care about at all. There had only been one reason, now two, that he bothered to remain around the pack's lands. Though he was not truly one of them, remaining within their pack lands did offer some sense of immunity from the outside world, and from here, he could keep an eye on Roka, and now Dianthe. The sweet young wolf had lately been his only reason to remain. With Roka's scarcity over the past months, Aurik often questioned why she even agreed to allow him to follow after her. Clearly she did not want his presence or care about his opinions any longer. This was a dangerous world that they lived in, and Aurik took his responsibility to look after Roka very seriously, even if she did not care much for his doting nature. 

Something still tied him here, and until he could quell that feeling, he would remain with Kairos. Aurik could not shake the feeling that there was something he was here to do, and the male took his inclinations very seriously. If he could not trust his gut, he would not have made it this far in life. So the male went out in search of Roka, intent on making his peace with her once and for all. If she wanted him out of her life, he would willingly oblige, but not without making his opinion known. She was throwing her life away here, and Aurik had watched her spiral into the pack life that was Kairos. He had never been a fan of their overly male-dominated pack life. Although it catered to his interests, he would never be accepted as a useful member of the pack. He was nothing here, and he always would be. But Roka had a chance in her life, and she had tied herself down to one of the most crazed wolves in the bunch, apart from Goliath himself.

And so the male found himself headed back to Ina'mos, the very place he tried to avoid. It was never truly safe within the pack's borders, but he continually risked winding up on the bad side of one of the pack wolves. For Roka. But now, he had a new reason to stay. He would not allow Dianthe to succumb to the vindictiveness he saw in many of the wolves here. They were lost, at the very least. Many of them were lost within themselves, and that was a terrifying thought. The male could not see a world where Dianthe would turn out okay if she remained in Kairos indefinitely; it was his mission to get her out as soon as was practical. But now, the male found himself casually tracking after Roka. Her scent was forever engrained in his head, unable to rid himself of it since their first meeting. Thankfully, she seemed to be away from the bulk of the pack, as no other scents intermingled with her trail as it meandered to the far northwestern portion of the island. Ina'mos was quite a wonderful place in its own right, but all the water often threw the male off. There was only so much he could do with his nose when scent trails wandered through the water.

But Aurik finally found himself out on the far beaches of the island as the trail drew to an end, his eyes falling on the silhouette of the only female, until recently, he had ever cared for. "Roka," he breathed out, half in a sigh of relief and half in disbelief that he found her away from the pack at all. This was his friend, the reason he was here in the first place. This was his heart in another body; one of the only reasons the male continued on when all hope was lost. Yet why did it feel like that half of his heart had been ripped out and stomped to dust in the sand?

Tags: Roka
Notes: POOR AURIK IS A SAD SACL

[Roka]

The cool winter breeze seemed stronger the closer she got to the water's edge. She missed the northern climate, the cold that was so familiar to her. She could hear the waves gently crashing against the beach and she wondered if she could make the swim again if she needed to. Sabaoth had broken the news about his newest Consort and to say that Roka hadn't taken it well was an understatement. A rift between them way something that refused to allow happen so she was fighting the majority of what she felt to keep herself sane. There was a change in the wolf she was before, the wolf she was now taking more pain that Roka wished she could just escape from. If Roka wasn't such a prideful stubborn female she would have left this island, but that meant leaving her pups. She had never imagined herself as a good mother, but her children were something that she prized more than anything else. Besides she wouldn't give Odara the satisfaction of letting her win Sabaoth. Roka wouldn't just give up like a kicked dog rolling over because her feelings had been hurt, because her toes were stepped on. A growl went through her relieving some of the anger she still held. This whole situation was doing wonders for her temper control because she would be damned if she let herself snap and show how enraged this made her.

A familiar smell tickled her nose giving her reason to smile. Aurik was a face that she had never hoped to see again. Her litter had kept her so occupied for months that she had completely neglected her friendship. Aurik was her only voice from the world outside, the only one who really found a away to make it past her anger and bluster. He did not push her to be anything that she wasn't and she was so happy to see him after so long. Roka stood up to greet him drawing closer him allowing her muzzle to reach out and nudge his shoulder. "Aurik! It is so good to see you." The last months had flown by, Roka being trapped within the caverns until her s were old enough to emerge. "How long has it been?" Roka remembered the first time they had met so long. If things had turned out differently she would never had gained such a good friend. She remembered the first time she had seen him, the amount of strength he possessed had impressed her to say the least. He had been deaf for the majority of his life, yet he had adapted and learned to thrive with his diability. He had also managed to see that she was more than an exploding ball of rage and had helped her adjust to her life here on Anikira. He had been the first facthat she had seen after crashing here. Even now it seemed like that was so long ago. How far both of them had come in just under the year since they had met.

Aurik

[Aurik]

Something was different.

As Roka turned to greet them, Aurik passively dipped his head in greeting, his ears falling back slightly in dismay at the reaction he received in greeting. She seemed... happy to see him. Yet everything the male had witnessed over the past months had spoken to the contrary. She never acknowledged him anymore, instead focusing on her precious mate and their brood. Her mate, who was no more of a brute than the little whelps within the dens, had full attention of his best friend, and he had been cast to the wayside. Where the male had once been happy to see Roka growing into a new wolf, he was now lost and confused. This wolf was like his old Roka, but he was not sure that wolf still existed. As she nudged his shoulder, the male briefly cracked a smile, but the sentiment did not bleed over into his eyes. His head fell marginally, missing the first part of Roka's greeting and only catching her question on the time that had passed.

"It has been many, many months, Roka," he responded with a passive voice, his eyes finally rising back to the scarred femme. How he wished things were different, and that he could find the happiness here that Roka seemed to have found. Aurik was incredibly displeased with the position she put herself in; she was so much more than how she was being treated, yet Aurik did not know that his opinion would carry any weight with her. She could have come to see him at any point in these past months, and yet the male sat on the sidelines, observing the pack from the distance. And it was all because her precious mate's brother thought him to be unfit for the pack. He never intended to come here. He was not suited for this life, nor did he fit into the puzzle that was Kairos. No, he was here for her, and she knew that from the beginning. Yet the minute a more entertaining friend came along, he had been cast aside for a life of solitude, ostracized from the pack. If it were not for the few times he ventured away from the core of Kairos, he might have lost his mind by this time. No one acknowledged him, and Aurik was fairly certain that if he had made a more prominent appearance, many of the pack wolves might have attacked him on sight.

The only solace was that Roka had not. Aurik did not intend to come back to the mainland of the island again. This world was painful for him, and he could not continue to live outside the glass from those he cared about. He did not offer any more words to Roka, nor did he anticipate she would ask any more of him. After all, Aurik had never felt like more of a stranger here. Who was he really, and where could he possibly fit in to this world if he was never given the chance?

Roka

[Roka]

At first Roka had felt at ease with Aurik, feeling as if things were normal once again. He was here and she was finally free to roam the island as she pleased. No longer tied down with her pups for months at a time. Her greeting had been more excitement than she had given anyone else, even her own male. Sabaoth would drive her to the brink of insanity if he allowed her to, but Aurik never seemed to push her limits. He was a calming force in the midst of her raging sea. She watched him for a moment seeing that he wasn't quite watching her like he usually did. He listened with his eyes reading lips to discern what was being said. He had missed much of what she had told him and that made some of her comfort slip away. Have I upset him? She wasn't proud of the way that she had treated Aurik, leaving him high and dry to focus on her family, but she couldn't change that. Nor would she want to. Her pups had been her priority and even though she had neglected him it had been for her children. When he finally did smile it never reached his eyes, his bright eyes that never seemed to lose their light. She couldn't imagine that something bad had happened to him in the few months that she had been absent from his life. He had been a survivor even before she had met him and that could never change. "What is the matter? He had mentioned his plan to follow her to Ina'mos to look after her, but he had never made it to the island. There was no trace of him here and she couldn't have left until her pups were old enough to fend for herself. "I sense that things have changed between us. We are not the same as we were before. Her choices had drawn her away from her friend and it had hurt him, she could see that as clear as day. What she could not see was a way to heal the hurt she had caused, to remedy what disgusted him now.

Aurik  

[Aurik]

If things had not been clear to Roka before, Aurik made them painfully clear with his actions. Whereas he used to be open and affectionate with the femme, he now felt reserved and almost uncomfortable in her presence. He no longer knew what was appropriate behavior around the female. If she were to go back to her mate with even a hint of his scent upon her, Aurik was not certain that she would be safe. And so he kept his distance, still intent on protecting her from a world that while he was an outsider, she had been accepted into with warmth and affection. It was nothing like the male anticipated; he had always assumed it would be difficult to follow after his friend, but he never knew just how much pain it would cause him to be cast to the wayside and left alone for months at a time without so much as a glance in his direction. While he had not interacted with Roka directly, the male had still kept watch over her like he had promised. He was not safe, or at least he did not feel safe, around the majority of the pack. He had little to no protection here, and he had remained for her despite all the insecurity he felt.

"Things are... different, my friend," Aurik breathed finally after mulling over his choice of words. There was little else he could do to explain what had become of him. The male would never blatantly smear the leadership of the pack, particularly when he was on such precarious ground with the alpha male to start. It would be foolish for him to do anything to jeopardize his ability to come and go within their pack lands. "I am not welcomed here, Roka. I never have been. This is your home, and I do not believe I have a place in your life anymore," the male admitted softly, finally allowing his insecurity to rise to the surface. Roka was the only one who he felt close enough with to express himself, yet the male could not anticipate who this Roka before him was. Would she still care, or would she cast him aside like the others? While he had only come here for her, he now had another reason to linger. But that did not mean he intended to make a life here. Things were not suited to him without Kairos, and being around all these wolves without the benefit or protection that pack life brought was quickly showing Aurik that while he might not be suited for this pack, the loneliness of a loner's life would not be well suited for him anymore either.

Like it or not, Roka was right. Things were changing between them, and Aurik did not know how to make it stop, or if he could even do so. There was so much uncertainty around his place here. Aurik knew better than to say anything harsh or rude to Roka; after all, she managed to wind herself as a mate to one of the highest ranking males in the pack. Like it or not, she probably had some influence over things and could make his life a living hell if she chose to. It was best to allow things to blow over; after all, she had not chased him off on sight as he might have expected. Perhaps things were not completely destroyed between them, but the comfort and safety he had once felt with Roka had faded away. Now, he did not know who she was. But what could he do about it?

Roka

[Roka]

Aurik's actions were like a slap in the face to Roka, the pain flashing in her eyes. Not only had Sabaoth chosen another mate, but now her friend was distancing himself from her too. Her life had been a jumbled mess these past weeks and the pain that Roka had endured was beginning to weigh heavily on her heart. She had gone down the path of choosing a mate and having pups only to be burned by her choices. Even now the repercussions of her relationship with Sabaoth were hurting her friendship with Aurik. He was closed off instead of his usual comfortable self, his eyes drifting and his posture almost cold. It seemed that he had already made up his mind that he didn't want to be a friend to her much longer. "Aurik I cannot change your mind if you have already made it. I cannot change this life I have now, but you will always be welcome in my life. Whether you linger here or move on I will see you again. It is up to you whether or not you want to remain friends." He had followed her to this strange land, the devotion and loyalty he had given her had almost floored Roka. He had been willing to give up so much and at the time she had taken it for granted. Now however she was wishing that she hadn't left him out in the cold. Kairos had scorned him for his deafness, but in him Roka had only ever seen strength. It was that strength that she needed now. Hers was waning, her breaking point closer than it had been in so many years. Her own mate had made it apparent that her emotions were of little interest to him, choosing instead to berate her for her outburst.



Closing her eyes she allowed some of the wall that she kept carefully in place crumble down. She was vulnerable as he was hiding herself behind a mask that was becoming very dangerous. When she reopened her eyes she did her best to keep Aurik's gaze, even if he didn't want to see what she said Roka wanted him to look her in the eye. Wanted to see just how sorry she was for causing him the pain that she had. This was no trivial apology to Roka, for I she didn't get it right she was standing to lose so much. "I am so stupid! I have made so many mistakes along the way and leaving you behind was one of them. You were such a loyal friend to me and I regret not standing with you as I should have. I was so desperate to follow some stupid male home, seeking something that didn't even exist. You were my family, the only one who always had my best interest in mind and I fucked it all up. Roka didn't know why all of these words were pouring out of her, but she knew that it was all falling apart. She had to fix things with Aurik or her entire life as she knew it would crumble to pieces right in front of her. "I know I have no right to ask this of you, but I need you to be my friend. I need some of your strength because I fear mine might give out."

Aurik

[Aurik]

Aurik watched his friend cautiously as she seemingly closed herself off to him. The male could almost feel himself closing in on himself as Roka's words turned far more distant from him. Where Aurik had been simply indicating that he would likely leave Kairos soon, she made it sound as if he was walking away from their friendship. A quiet whimper slipped from the male's muzzle as he shrunk in, moving a couple steps away from her as she spoke, now intently focused on the other wolf's movements as he hoped he was not completely misinterpreting her words. "Roka... what do you mean?" he choked out softly. "Roka, you make your own choices. You live your own life. No one can make those decisions for you. But know that I would never choose not to be your friend." 

The grey male paced anxiously, his eyes now firmly fixed on Roka as she suddenly flipped on him, though not in the way he expected. Roka was no longer the strong, firm being that Aurik had always known her to be. If the male thought he could not feel any smaller, he was sorely mistaken. He could nearly feel his heart breaking as she spoke, and although he could not hear the tone of her voice, he could certainly see the pain and desperation in her eyes and face. The male instinctively lunged at Roka, though there was not an ounce of aggression in his behavior. Aurik could not bear for his friend to be in so much pain. He nearly tackled her with his actions but managed to halt right before they collided, instead instinctively nuzzling her neck affectionately. Although he was still hesitant of the repercussions, he could not bear the thought of her thinking that she was the reason he would leave.

"Roka, you know I will always love you," he murmured in her ear. "If I need to be strong for you, then I will. I will always be your rock." Aurik finally realized that, once again, he had invaded Roka's personal space. Her last reaction to such behavior had been less than welcoming, and so the male forced himself to back away from her. "I apologize... I know my actions are out of turn," he stated calmly. "Roka, you are all that I have had in a long time. Now... I have something else to live for, but that does not mean that I will ever leave you behind."

Tags: Roka
Notes: HE GIVES ME ALL THE FEELS.

[Roka]

In a usually situation Roka would have tensed at the idea of another person invading her space. Other than her mate and her pups she didn't particularly like physical contact with anyone else. In this instance however she took comfort in the closeness that he friend offered her. Roka had no idea how to deal with all of the emotions and thoughts that seemed to be flooding her head. Never in her life had she felt so lost, the only thing keeping her focused was her children. She had to remain strong for them even if it took everything that she had. Aurik was there like he always was and it made her feel secure at least for the moment. He made everything simple and she knew that everything would be alright. Taking a deep breath she closed the distance between them resting her forehead on his shoulder. "You are too good to me. I love you for that." She had never told him that she loved him, but it was the truth. She didn't know what she had done o deserve a friend like him. The fact that he promised not to abandon their friendship calmed her significantly and she didn't feel like she was overwhelmed. "I don't know what I ever did to deserve you." He spoke of having a new reason to live for and Roka was curious about who it was that tempted her friend away from her. It had to be someone very special to deserve Aurik that was one thing she knew for sure. "So what or who is this new person that gives life so much meaning." She had missed so much when it came to Aurik and she wanted to badly to be a part of his life again. She wanted him to share with her freely as they had so long ago. She also craved to hear that there was someone out there that made him happy, that would give him the life that he truly deserved. Dwelling on her own problems was making her more and more upset and she hoped that mending the bridge with Aurik would take more of the pain away.


Aurik

[Aurik]

If Aurik had expectations for how Roka would react, this was nowhere in the realm of possibility. Not only did his friend accept the physical touch, but she also reciprocated. Aurik was floored by the feel of Roka's weight against him. A gentle smile brushed the male's blackened lips, relishing the rare moment of connection he felt with the femme before stepping away respectfully. As much as he loved his friend, he refused to act inappropriately in her presence. His reaction had likely been beyond acceptable limitations, but he would simply have to accept that. He could not allow Roka to continue hurting this way. He would do anything he could to take all her pain away if it were possible.

The grey male grinned, his eyes glowing with happiness as Roka told him she loved him. The words, although he could not hear them, warmed his heart in a way he never thought possible. "As I love you, Roka. You will always be my first friend, despite where life may take us," he retorted. The male nudged Roka playfully with his snout, a smirk brushing across his face. "I'm always going to be that thorn in your side that never quite goes away." And although he knew Roka was listening to him, he did not expect her to pick up on his comment about Dianthe so quickly. He could only shrug slightly in response. "I have just learned that I am not quite as unlovable as I have always thought," he replied with a soft smile. He did not know yet what would become of his friendship with the alpha's daughter. Dianthe was a breath of fresh air in his lungs, but that did not mean that he was about to go proclaiming his affection for her from the coasts to the falls. Right now, they were friends, and Aurik would do everything necessary to protect her from the harshness of this world. Only time would tell for them.

"Roka..." the male started hesitantly. "Do not think I am trying to push my way into your business... but what brought you to this? I am worried about you, my dear." He dropped the affectionate term on the end without even realizing it at first. It was no surprise that he would admit his love for the femme, but the lines were far more blurred on his side than they might have been for her. Aurik would always hold a special place in his heart for Roka, even when her heart belonged to Sabaoth. He would always be on her side, no matter what. She was home, as was Dianthe. There was much confusion in the male's mind, but he knew that Roka would always be his friend. There was nothing more than that between them, and he respected her choices. But if this life was harming her in any way, Aurik was not sure that he could stand by the wayside and watch her crumble. He would not.

Roka

[Roka]

Aurik soothing words helped Roka calm herself. She had shown her vulnerability to Aurik and even though it was very unlike her she refused to regret it. He was there for her and she was content to rely on some of his strength for now. It wasn't long before some of the tension left her body and she finally relaxed enough to push her worries from her mind. Aurik didn't go into detail about his romantic inclinations, his answer vague to say the least. It seemed apparent that he didn't want to talk about his own life. His attention instead shifted to her own life. His eyes were inquisitive as he asked about the turn of events that had caused Roka's distress. The situation that had seemed so dire a few moments ago seemed a little less out of control. She would be able to talk with him without feeling the pressure of it all coming down on her. There was no safer place for her to share her grievances. She would eventually have to share her feeling with her mate, but for now he was gone from Ina'mos. His absence was something that had hurt badly, but there was nothing that she could do about. The loss of control over her own life was what had driven her to the coast. "I am in love. That is why I am so upset. I let the stupid brute wiggle his way into my heart and now here I am. Miserable. I am in quite the situation, but I can't leave. I love him and of course my heart is as stubborn as as my brain so I am determined to make it work no matter how much he pisses me off." It felt good to get some of this off of her chest. Especially since she got to spend her time with such a good friend.

Aurik

[Aurik]

The grey male watched patiently as his friend started to rant, her emotions evident with all the tension in her body. Aurik wished there was something more that he could do for his friend, but right now it seemed that simply being there for her was all he could do. But Aurik was steadily developing a dislike for this male; Roka deserved to be happy all the time. It seemed that she was hurting a lot more than Aurik first might have recognized. Although he was a generally happy individual, Aurik could not help but share in his friend's pain. No one deserved to feel poorly for being in love, yet Roka seemed to be plagued by the very thing that most wolves longed for their entire lives.

Aurik was at a loss. On one hand, he wanted to lift Roka up in every way possible. But if it was at the expense of ruining his relationship with the very wolves that allowed him to linger here, he was not certain it was worth it. "Roka, you are responsible for your own happiness," he offered with a gentle smile. "I believe in you, no matter what. You know I am always here for you." Even though life continued to pull them in different directions, Aurik was loyal to a fault. He would never turn his back on Roka, and sometimes that meant doing things he would rather not, such as remaining around Kairos. Perhaps life was a bit different than he might have expected, but Aurik could not leave when Roka was in this state. He would be a horrible friend, and worse, he would not be able to live with himself for walking away from the friend he never thought he would have. Roka was a blessing in his life, and he would be there for her through this, just as he was certain she would do the same for him.

Roka

[Roka]

It felt so good for Roka to have gotten all of that off of her chest. Being able to confide in Aurik was something that she truly cherished. He was there for her, and his simple confidence in her made everything seem a little more in control. All of her hurt and anger towards Sabaoth had an outlet and it was better than her previous explosion at him. Taking a deep breath she let a shudder ripple through her. The walls she kept carefully in place made their way back up as she allowed it to wash over her. Being vulnerable wasn't something that she did easily, but sharing that part of herself with Aurik had helped immensely. Roka flashed him a grin before finally allowing the walls to slam closed. Her posture stiffened a little and the gleam in her eye became distant once more. "You are a good friend." Her voice had taken on it's former gruff tone. Roka couldn't remember if she had told her mate about her friendship with Aurik, so she had no idea how he would react to her spending time with another male. Perhaps he would be jealous, that little thought made her giggle uncharacteristically. On the other hand he had Odara now so perhaps he would care not about who she spent her time with. "How is it that you always find me when I need you most." It was uncanny the way he showed up right when she was going through hell. He was right that he own happiness was only something she could fix. His confidence in her made Roka sure that she would absolutely be able to make this life she had chosen better. It was her life after all. "I don't think I could ever thank you enough." His friendship was her first and honestly the only one that she had any faith in. All of her newfound acquaintances couldn't hold a candle to her friendship with Aurik.

Aurik

[Aurik]

A half smile crept across the grey male's lips as he watched the strongest wolf he knew compose herself once more. Though Aurik was undoubtedly insecure himself, seeing Roka take on such a look was a foreign feeling to him. To have her not only commend him on being a good friend, but to seem to respect him for it was a new feeling. Never before had Aurik felt as if he had a purpose. He had always merely existed, but it seemed that he had found purpose in keeping his friend sane and in watching over those he cared about. Though he still had much to learn, Aurik was pleased to find that not only was he helpful, but he actually had a place around here for a while. His previous thoughts of leaving immediately were fleeting quickly, though his fears of Roka's mate were still very fresh in his mind. It would not be wise for him to anger the Kairos General, particularly when his mate already seemed angsty. Though he had not asked exactly what the issue was between them, Aurik was fairly certain he did not want to know the answer. The less he was involved in the lover's quarrels of others, the safer he would be. And he was fairly certain that when he walked away today, he would resume his life back on the outskirts of Kairos, while Roka would go back to the position of the dutiful mate of the General.

For two wolves that had such a similar beginning, their lives had taken drastically different turns. Roka might not have realized it, but Aurik envied her. She had found a place where she belonged, and although she was not happy right now, she had at least found a happiness strong enough to tie her to this place. Yet Aurik still did not have such a feeling in his life. His bond and protectiveness toward Dianthe was new, but he did not know if that was his future. She was so young, and Aurik did not want to try imagining what would become of him if he pursued one of the Emperor's daughters. Dianthe would likely be off limits to him his entire life, unless he were to leave with her. But would another wolf be willing to follow him?

Aurik refocused his attention on Roka, a shy smile crossing his lips once more. "I am glad that I am able to be here for you, Roka. You know I always will be," he reassured her, and that was the truth. No mater how much distance was between them, Roka would never be far from his heart. Though another held her love, Aurik would always reserve a special part of himself for the wolf before him. She was, in her own right, the first wolf he had ever loved, and he would give her the world to prove it. She was his best friend, and though time had come between them, it could never truly shatter the friendship they shared.


Roka